


Prankster in the ring

by JustifyingEvil



Series: Still a Kid [1]
Category: Bondi Rescue (TV)
Genre: Bondi Beach, Bondi Rescue, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lifeguards, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 14:25:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15463380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustifyingEvil/pseuds/JustifyingEvil
Summary: Set during Season 3 Episode 7.Sometimes the lifeguards forget that their youngest member is only 16 and he has feeling too. And their latest prank goes a bit too far.





	Prankster in the ring

**Author's Note:**

> Don’t know why I am writing a Bondi Rescue fanfic but here we are. I don’t know much Australian slang and such so apologies. Love all of the boys in blue so don’t be offended by anything I write, it’s all made up. 
> 
> Lifeguards featured:  
> Trent Maxwell (Maxi)  
> Terry McDermott (Tezz)  
> Bruce Hopkins (Hoppo)   
> Matt Dee (Matty)  
> Rod Kerr (Kerrbox)
> 
> Set during Season 3 episode 7

They were right, he was still a kid. They had expected him to grow up fast due to the job he had chosen to do. Lifeguarding was a serious business. Maxi was pretty good but the old guard wanted to put him to the test and see how he would react when dealing with a tough customer aka Bobby Mivoric, heavyweight boxing champion. In the heat of the moment, they had forgotten that he was still only 16 and in Maxi’s eyes, Bobby had over stepped the mark and the guys hadn’t realised that their little prank had gone too far.

Maxi was meant to be on patrol down on the beach with Matt D but instead he was in the lifeguard’s locker room on the verge of having a panic attack. Sitting on the floor, he had his head in his hands. His breathing was becoming uneven and rapid. All he could think about was how angry that guy was and how angry his boss, Hoppo was going to be. He was trying to do his job and protect the public by removing a surfer from in between the flags. What he didn’t know that it was all a prank.

In the tower, Hoppo had just entered with Bobby. Terry and Kerrbox were also there, smirking. Terry picked up the radio and radioed Maxi.

“Central to Maxi, I got Hoppo up here and the bloke you had the altercation with. I need you up here immediately” Terry said sternly but giggled after turning off the radio.

Maxi had his radio with him. When he heard the message, he freaked. He was probably in so much trouble. He was pretty much now in a full blown panic attack. He started rocking back and forth, gasping for air. His chest felt tight, his heart racing. He felt like he was going to keel over and have a heart attack. 

Terry was waiting for a reply. He decided to radio Matt on the beach since Maxi was meant to be there. 

“Central to Matt, can you send Maxi up to the tower if he’s with you” Terry said down the line.

“Mate, I thought he was already in the tower” Matt’s crackled voice replied through the radio. 

Terry looked at Hoppo with raised eyebrows. Hoppo shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

“Where is he then?” Hoppo wondered.

“You want me to go find him?” Kerrbox offered as he didn’t have much else to do as he was still recovering from a snapped achilles tendon. Hoppo nodded.

Kerrbox grabbed his crutches and hobbled off, out of the tower and onto the promenade. He was going to start in the toilets and locker room. After making sure all toilet cubicals were empty, he entered the locker room and could hear someone crying and possibly hyperventilating? Kerrbox was confused at first but concern overtook him when he saw Maxi sitting on the floor, tears streaming down his face. Kerrbox made his was over and carefully lowered himself down onto the floor next to the youngster. Maxi began to freak out even more when he noticed he had been found. He lowered his head and brought up his knees to hide his face.

“Maxi, deep breaths mate. Come on, in... and out... and again” Kerrbox encouraged as he put his hand on Maxi’s shoulder.

Maxi wasn’t listening. His heart felt like it was going to explode at the rate it was going. The thumping of his heart could be felt in his head.

“Trent. Listen to me it’s ok. Breath with me. In... and out... keep doing it”

It was rare that anyone on the team called him by his first name, it caught his attention. Maxi did as he was instructed to do and surely enough, his breathing slowly returned to normal. After a few minutes, he lifted up his head and wiped away any remaining tears. He didn’t look at Kerrbox, he was too ashamed. Kerrbox squeezed Maxi’s shoulder to let him know that everything was ok and that he was there. 

Maxi whispered out a quiet sorry followed by a sob and sniffle. Kerrbox wrapped his arm around him and pulled him closer. 

“Don’t apologise, mate” Kerrbox was cut off by his radio.

“Central to Kerrbox, you found him yet? Or is he still AWOL on us?” Terry laughed through the radio.

Kerrbox rolled his eyes and looked at Maxi. Maxi finally made eye contact. Kerrbox could see that Maxi was still upset “You want me to explain to them now or give an excuse and tell them later?” He asked.

Maxi thought for a few seconds before replying in a hushed tone “Later” 

Kerrbox nodded as he fished out his radio from his belt “Um Kerrbox to central. I found him. Give us a minute and we’ll be back soon” he placed the radio down beside him and returned his attention to Maxi.

“Wanna talk about it mate?” He asked.

“I messed up and I’m sorry” was his reply.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You handled the situation really well. It was actually a prank set up by Terry. You proved yourself, you stood your ground against the guy, Bobby, who happens to be a heavyweight boxer. We should be sorry for taking it a bit too far” Kerrbox explained himself.

Maxi stayed silent in disbelief for a moment. He let out a ragged breath and a hiccup.

“Have you had a panic attack before?” Kerrbox questioned.

Maxi nodded “But not for a long while now. The last one I had... was probably a year and half ago maybe. I didn’t have them often, only when something really, truly worried me”

“You ok to go back now, the boys will be wondering what’s happened to us” 

“I guess” Maxi started to shake his leg out of fear and anxiety.

Kerrbox put his free hand on Maxi’s knee to try and calm him “It’s alright. No one is gonna be mad at you for anything. I’ll tell them what happened here if you want”

“Thanks, I’d appreciate that” Maxi smiled weakly.

Kerrbox removed his arm from around Maxi “Right, you’re gonna have to help me up” he laughed eyeing up the crutches he had propped up against the lockers. 

Maxi gladly helped him up and handed him the crutches. Kerrbox had put his radio in his belt again and Maxi checked that he had everything. They walked slowly back to the tower, Maxi being worried as hell.

When they arrived back, Bobby had already left. Hoppo and Terry were still in the tower. They cheered as Kerrbox and Maxi entered.

“Ah there they are” Terry yelled with a wide cheeky grin on his face. 

“Why don’t you go down to the beach yeah? I’ll deal with the morons” Kerrbox jokingly whispered into Maxi’s ear.  
Maxi quickly made his exit, not wanting to talk or listen to what Kerrbox was about to disclose. Kerrbox had ditched his crutches and went to sit down.

“So where was he? What happened, you were gone a while” Hoppo enquired.

Kerrbox huffed “We got to be more careful with our pranks, especially towards him. He’s only 16, still young and still growing. Found him in the locker room, hyperventilating and panicking. Took me a while to calm him down. He was scared that he had fucked up and that everyone was gonna be pissed at him.”

Silence descended on the tower. Neither Hoppo nor Terry knew what to say. 

Hoppo broke the silence “I’ll talk to him at the end of the shift. Thanks Box for telling me” Hoppo left to go back to his office.

“I owe him an apology I think” Terry said, fiddling with his radio. 

At the end of the shift, Maxi walked back into the tower with his head down. All he wanted to do was go home and forget about the day. 

“Hey, Maxi” Terry called out to him “Really sorry mate”

“It’s fine, no hard feeling” Maxi let out a small chuckle.

“Hoppo wants to see you by the way. In his office” Terry said.

Maxi frowned and took a deep breath. He headed over to Hoppo’s office. The door was already open so Hoppo saw him coming. He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. Maxi sat down, his body tense. Hoppo noticed how uncomfortable the teen was.

“Relax, Maxi. I don’t want to keep you long. All of the boys like pulling the occasional prank but we should think about them more carefully before putting them into action. In the future, if you feel overwhelmed in a situation, don’t be afraid to say so before it turns into panic. Ok? You can always come talk to me or any of the other guys that you feel comfortable talking to.”

“I don’t really know what to say. Thanks” Maxi nodded and smiled.

Hoppo let Maxi get off home. It was strange seeing the usually happy go lucky kid so vulnerable and down. It didn’t suit him. Hoppo packed up and headed home himself, hoping that Maxi would actually seek help if he ever felt like that again.


End file.
